Career Summary

Biography

I began as a Lecturer in Health Behaviour, in January 2008. My role is a combined teaching and research position involving predominantly face-to-face teaching into, and coordination of Public Health courses and components of the Joint Medical Program. My research work exists as two main arms; one in public health and health behavior change with a focus on adolescent alcohol consumption, and another on the scholarship of teaching and learning with particular focus on interprofessional education.

Research Expertise
From 2005 to 2007 I worked full-time on my PhD studies, supported by an Australian Post-Doctoral Award. My PhD studies involved the management of a large randomized controlled trial of an intervention to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to quit smoking during pregnancy.
Since then, I have established myself in behavioural science research and in particular, the alcohol field, building an original program of research relating to parental supply of alcohol and adolescent alcohol consumption. This work has led to several national and international research collaborations and projects.
I have established cross-disciplinary collaborations in the scholarship of teaching and learning, which has to date, been the subject of a large external grant, and two internal grants. This work is at the forefront of the field of interprofessional education and has the potential to influence curriculum development and policy in health professional education.
I am also a member of the Research Centre for Health Professional Education and the Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour.

Teaching Expertise
I am involved with teaching interactional skills (clinical communication) to Medicine and Pharmacy students and have been heavily involved in the development of resources and implementation of curriculum changes to enhance this aspect of the syllabus across these programs. I am also involved with training simulated patients for communication skills teaching and assessment.
I also facilitate problem based learning sessions in the Joint Medical Program, and teach into and coordinate courses in the PDHPE Education Program - dealing with the Public Health and Personal Development components of the syllabus.
In 2011 I was awarded a Vice Chancellors Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning and in 2012 was part of a team awarded an OLT citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning.

Administrative Expertise
I am a member of Academic Senate, and have previously held positions on the Faculty of Health Board, and the Teaching and Learning Committee, as well as associated working parties. I have also actively contributed as a member of the 'Academic experience' working party as part of my Academic Senate role.

Collaborations
I collaborate with both national and international researchers, particularly in relation to social issues regarding alcohol consumption and parental supply of alcohol. I have strong link with researchers from Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre in Melbourne, Edith Cowan University, the Centre for Addictions Research, BC (Canada), Addiction Info (Switzerland), as well as other University of Newcastle researchers.
I am a member of several research collaborations in relation to interprofessional education and communication skills training.

Journal article (37 outputs)

Ward B, Kippen R, Buykx P, Gilligan C, Chapman K, 'Parents' level of support for adults' purchase and consumption of alcohol at primary school events when children are present', Drug and Alcohol Review, 34 202-206 (2015)

Environmental and societal factors are significant determinants of children's initiation to and use of alcohol. Schools are important settings for promoting well-being and substan... [more]

Environmental and societal factors are significant determinants of children's initiation to and use of alcohol. Schools are important settings for promoting well-being and substantial resources have been devoted to curriculum-based alcohol programs, but the effects of these in reducing the misuse of alcohol have been modest. Adults can and do consume alcohol at school events when students are present, but there is a dearth of evidence about parents' level of support for the practice. The aim of this study was to examine parents' level of support for the purchase and consumption of alcohol at primary school fundraising events when children are present. Methods: Four hundred seventy-nine Australian parents of children aged 0-12 years participated in an online survey. Logistic regression was used to assess the impact of parent characteristics on the level of agreement with parental purchase and consumption of alcohol at school fundraising events when children are present. Results: The majority of parents (60%) disagreed/strongly disagreed with the practice of adults being able to purchase and consume alcohol at school fundraising events when children were present. The 21% of parents who supported the practice were more likely to be daily smokers and/or have higher (>6) Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-alcohol consumption scores. Conclusions: Despite the fact that the majority of parents disagree with this practice, published reports suggest that adults' use of alcohol at primary school events is an emerging issue. It is important that school decision-makers are mindful of the financial and educational value of fundraising activities.

Background: Safe medication practices depend upon, not only on individual responsibilities, but also effective communication and collaboration between members of the medication te... [more]

Background: Safe medication practices depend upon, not only on individual responsibilities, but also effective communication and collaboration between members of the medication team. However, measurement of these skills is fraught with conceptual and practical difficulties. Aims: The aims of this study were to explore the utility of a Theory of Planned Behaviour-based questionnaire to predict health professional students' behavioural intentions in relation to medication safety and collaborative practice; and to determine the contribution of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived control to behavioural intentions. Design: A descriptive cross-sectional survey based upon the Theory of Planned Behaviour was designed and tested. Participants: A convenience sample of 65 undergraduate pharmacy, nursing and medicine students from one semi-metropolitan Australian university were recruited for the study. Methods: Participants' behavioural intentions, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived control to behavioural intentions in relation to medication safety were measured using an online version of the Theory of Planned Behaviour Medication Safety Questionnaire. Results: The Questionnaire had good internal consistency with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.844. The three predictor variables of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived control accounted for between 30 and 46% of the variance in behavioural intention; this is a strong prediction in comparison to previous studies using the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Data analysis also indicated that attitude was the most significant predictor of participants' intention to collaborate with other team members to improve medication safety. Conclusion: The results from this study provide preliminary support for the Theory of Planned Behaviour-Medication Safety Questionnaire as a valid instrument for examining health professional students' behavioural intentions in relation to medication safety and collaborative practice.

Background: Safe medication practices depend upon, not only on individual responsibilities, but also effective communication and collaboration between members of the medication te... [more]

Background: Safe medication practices depend upon, not only on individual responsibilities, but also effective communication and collaboration between members of the medication team. However, measurement of these skills is fraught with conceptual and practical difficulties. Aims: The aims of this study were to explore the utility of a Theory of Planned Behaviour-based questionnaire to predict health professional students' behavioural intentions in relation to medication safety and collaborative practice; and to determine the contribution of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived control to behavioural intentions. Design: A descriptive cross-sectional survey based upon the Theory of Planned Behaviour was designed and tested. Participants: A convenience sample of 65 undergraduate pharmacy, nursing and medicine students from one semi-metropolitan Australian university were recruited for the study. Methods: Participants' behavioural intentions, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived control to behavioural intentions in relation to medication safety were measured using an online version of the Theory of Planned Behaviour Medication Safety Questionnaire. Results: The Questionnaire had good internal consistency with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.844. The three predictor variables of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived control accounted for between 30 and 46% of the variance in behavioural intention; this is a strong prediction in comparison to previous studies using the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Data analysis also indicated that attitude was the most significant predictor of participants' intention to collaborate with other team members to improve medication safety. Conclusion: The results from this study provide preliminary support for the Theory of Planned Behaviour-Medication Safety Questionnaire as a valid instrument for examining health professional students' behavioural intentions in relation to medication safety and collaborative practice.

Aims and objectives: To determine the effect of immersive 3D cultural simulation on nursing students' empathy towards culturally and linguistically diverse patients. Background: Accelerated globalisation has seen a significant increase in cultural diversity in most regions of the world over the past forty years. Clinical encounters that do not acknowledge cultural factors contribute to adverse patient outcomes and health care inequities for culturally and linguistically diverse people. Cultural empathy is an antecedent to cultural competence. Thus, appropriate educational strategies are needed to enhance nursing students' cultural empathy and the capacity to deliver culturally competent care. Design: A one-group pretest, post-test design was used for this study. The simulation exposed students to an unfolding scene in a hospital ward of a developing county. Methods: A convenience sample of second-year undergraduate nursing students (n = 460) from a semi-metropolitan university in Australia were recruited for the study. Characteristics of the sample were summarised using descriptive statistics. T-tests were performed to analyse the differences between pre- and post simulation empathy scores using an eight item modified version of the Kiersma-Chen Empathy Scale. Results: Students' empathy towards culturally and linguistically diverse patients significantly improved after exposure to the 3D simulation experience. The mean scores for the Perspective Taking and Valuing Affective Empathy subscales also increased significantly postsimulation. Conclusions: The immersive 3D simulation had a positive impact on nursing students' empathy levels in regards to culturally and linguistically diverse groups. Research with other cohorts and in other contexts is required to further explore the impact of this educational approach. Relevance to clinical practice: Immersive cultural simulation experiences offer opportunities to enhance the cultural empathy of nursing students. This may in turn have a positive impact on their cultural competence and consequently the quality of care they provide to culturally and linguistically diverse patients.

Ebert L, Hoffman K, Levett-Jones T, Gilligan C, '"They have no idea of what we do or what we know": Australian graduates' perceptions of working in a health care team', Nurse Education in Practice, 14 544-550 (2014) [C1]

Globally it has been suggested that interprofessional education can lead to improvements in patient safety as well as increased job satisfaction and understanding of professional ... [more]

Globally it has been suggested that interprofessional education can lead to improvements in patient safety as well as increased job satisfaction and understanding of professional roles and responsibilities. In many health care facilities staff report being committed to working collaboratively, however their practice does not always reflect their voiced ideologies. The inability to work effectively together can, in some measure, be attributed to a lack of knowledge and respect for others' professional roles, status and boundaries. In this paper, we will report on the findings of an interpretative study undertaken in Australia, focussing specifically on the experiences of new graduate nurses, doctors and pharmacists in relation to 'knowing about' and 'working with' other health care professionals. Findings indicated there was little understanding of the roles of other health professionals and this impacted negatively on communication and collaboration between and within disciplines. Furthermore, most new graduates recall interprofessional education as intermittent, largely optional, non-assessable, and of little value in relation to their roles, responsibilities and practice as graduate health professionals. Interprofessional education needs to be integrated into undergraduate health programs with an underlying philosophy of reciprocity, respect and role valuing, in order to achieve the proposed benefits for staff and patients.

Ebert L, Hoffman K, Levett-Jones T, Gilligan C, '"They have no idea of what we do or what we know": Australian graduates' perceptions of working in a health care team.', Nurse education in practice, 14 544-550 (2014) [C1]

Ebert L, Hoffman K, Levett-Jones T, Gilligan C, '"They have no idea of what we do or what we know": Australian graduates' perceptions of working in a health care team', Nurse Education in Practice, 14 544-550 (2014)

Globally it has been suggested that interprofessional education can lead to improvements in patient safety as well as increased job satisfaction and understanding of professional ... [more]

Globally it has been suggested that interprofessional education can lead to improvements in patient safety as well as increased job satisfaction and understanding of professional roles and responsibilities. In many health care facilities staff report being committed to working collaboratively, however their practice does not always reflect their voiced ideologies. The inability to work effectively together can, in some measure, be attributed to a lack of knowledge and respect for others' professional roles, status and boundaries. In this paper, we will report on the findings of an interpretative study undertaken in Australia, focussing specifically on the experiences of new graduate nurses, doctors and pharmacists in relation to 'knowing about' and 'working with' other health care professionals. Findings indicated there was little understanding of the roles of other health professionals and this impacted negatively on communication and collaboration between and within disciplines. Furthermore, most new graduates recall interprofessional education as intermittent, largely optional, non-assessable, and of little value in relation to their roles, responsibilities and practice as graduate health professionals. Interprofessional education needs to be integrated into undergraduate health programs with an underlying philosophy of reciprocity, respect and role valuing, in order to achieve the proposed benefits for staff and patients.

Gilligan C, Outram S, 'Culturally and linguistically diverse students in health professional programs: An exploration of concerns and needs', Education for Health: Change in Learning and Practice, 25 40-47 (2012) [C1]

Introduction: Cultural diversity among students in tertiary institutions in Australia and globally has increased rapidly in the last decade, and is continuing to do so. Methods: F... [more]

Introduction: Cultural diversity among students in tertiary institutions in Australia and globally has increased rapidly in the last decade, and is continuing to do so. Methods: Focus groups were held at the University of Newcastle, NSW to: (1) examine the specifi c needs of international students in the Master of Pharmacy, Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Nursing programs in relation to language and cultural considerations and (2) to understand the attitudes of domestic students to the cultural issues faced among their peers. Th e project explored these issues with the intention to inform curricula changes to accommodate the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students. Results: Th e key themes emerging from international students were: diffi culties in spoken language, diff erences in professional roles and expectations, diff erences in methods of learning, inadequate social interaction outside the classroom and acceptance of diff erences in cultural and religious practices. Th e domestic student views reinforced the comments from international students both in regard to social interaction and in regard to participation in class discussions. Although local students were interested in learning from international students about their culture and religious beliefs, there were limited initiatives from both sides. Discussion: Th ere is a need for tertiary institutions that benefi t economically from increasing the numbers of international students to help them to study and live in a new environment. Assistance needs to go beyond learning the English language to helping students understand its use in a professional context (health terminology and slang used by patients), the nuances of the health professional disciplines in a western society, the approach to study and problem-based learning styles and skills to assist with social interaction. Th e results of the present exploration have led to a series of proposed actions for the University of Newcastle. Th ese recommendations are applicable to any 'Western' teaching institution with a large number of international students from developing countries enrolled in their health programs.

Lapkin S, Levett-Jones TL, Gilligan C, 'A cross-sectional survey examining the extent to which interprofessional education is used to teach nursing, pharmacy and medical students in Australian and New Zealand Universities', Journal of Interprofessional Care, 26 390-396 (2012) [C1]

Thompson K, Gilligan C, 'WHAT DO OTHER PARENTS DO? A CROSS-CULTURAL COMPARISON OF THE ROLE OF SOCIAL NORM MISPERCEPTIONS IN PREDICTING PARENTAL SUPPLY OF ALCOHOL TO UNDERAGE ADOLESCENTS', DRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW (2013) [E3]